Things quickly escalated at Walgreens Alameda in California when a witness decided to take matters into his hands and confront an accused shoplifter.
Kevin, the bystander who wishes to remain anonymous, pulled out his phone and began recording after he saw someone fill a backpack with merchandise. Kevin asked another customer to film him as the alleged shoplifter started walking toward the exit.
Kevin confronted the man once he was outside and declared, “A!” “citizen’s arrest.”
The suspect began screaming. “Leave me alone!”He called for help. Kevin was placed in a headlock when an accomplice appeared. Kevin slammed the alleged accomplice on the ground.
Kevin replied, “Why did he take on the man?” “It was simple. I had enough.”
According to police Walgreens decided against bringing charges against the suspect and his alleged accomplice.
“It makes me feel like a sucker. It makes me feel like the system is even more broken. It burns me to the core,”Kevin stated.
Kevin expressed concern that he might face criminal charges in relation to the incident.
“I don’t encourage anyone to ever get involved in a perceived crime in progress, because they don’t have the tools that a police officer would have if they were on scene,”Cheryl Dorsey is a former LAPD sergeant.
The Alameda Police Department says they encourage people to record suspected shoplifting incidents, but don’t recommend getting physically involved.
